Photographic tank



F. M. MO-RGAN ET AL 2,344,998") March 28, 1944.

- PHOTOGRAPHIG TANK Filed Oct. 5, 1939 @Sheets-Sheet 1 March 28, 1944. F, M AN Em 2,344,998

PHOTOGRAPHIC TANK Filed 0ct. 5, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 fla azw 2,

2 to permit the ready passage of a protuberance or lug 32 formed on the inside of the flange 28 of the cover. Adjacent the area 31 is a raised portion 3! beyond which is an area M which, while deeper than the area 33, is, nevertheless, not as deep as the area II. The area 34 is bounded by a sloping surface 35. Thus, it will be seen that when the tank is pass readily down through the area II and, upon rotating the cover to the left (Fig. 3), the lug will be required to pass over the high area 33 and then into frictional engagement with the area 34, the lug being cammed downwardly by the sloping surface 35. The cover is thus securely locked in place, since the lug I2 is not only irictionally engaged, but, furthermore, is required to be sprung past the positive obstruction of the area 33 beiore the cover can be removed.

Another bayonet type of connection is illustrated in Figs. 6 to 10, wherein the outer flange 3t 01' the container body has a smooth top 36a and the outer surface of said flange has ribs 31 spaced apart circumierentially as at 31a and having inclined lower edges 31b, and, on the web 31c, locating lugs 31d. Here, also, the cover has a smooth bottomed web I! and, on the inside of its outer flange 39, a mutilated thread in the form of inclined ribs 38a spaced apart circumierentially as at 39b, locating lugs 30c being provided on the outer face oi the flange Iii ad] acent the lower ends the ribs "a. The cover is adapted to be lowered so that'its web II rests on the body surface "a, because the cover ribs 38a are adapted to descend in the body spaces 31a and, at the same time, the body ribs 81 will clear the cover spaces "D. The cover is in position to descend when a locating lug on the cover is adjacent a locating lug on the body, and for this purpose the cover may be shifted in the dark to bring one or its locating lugs adjacent a locating lug on the body. After the cover web is lowered onto the body, the body is held while the cover is turned clockwise, for example, to lock the cover ribs against the rib edges IIb, thereby camming the cover tightly in place. Obviously the ribs could be arranged to require anti-clockwise movement or the cover for securing lain place.

The film retaining reel forming a part of our invention includes a pair of cooperating elements II and ll. The part 40 comprises a hollow spindle 42 which, as seen best in Figs. 11 and 13, is of an irregular hexagonal shape on the outside and'has integral teet ll extending into the well iormed by the depressed portion I3 01 the tank, the feet I being spaced apart and formed on a periphery permitting passage oi fluid from the interior of the spindle 42 into the tank space H. Integral with the spindle 42 is a disc 44 which may be provided with reinforcing ribs 45 and has a spiral flange 4B iormed on the upper portion thereof. thus forming a spiral groove 41 within which a fllm F may be seated.

The upper reel part ll comprises a sleeue portion 40 which, as shown best in Fig. 11, is of an eccentric hexagonal shape conforming to that 0! the spindle 42 and adapted to slide thereover. It will be understood, or course, that the spindle 42 and sleeve ll may be of any eccentric shape so that they may be interfitted in only one relation. The purpose of this will appear shortly.

The sleeve 48 is slotted at l! to seat a spring clip ill formed of wire or the like, the seated portion of the clip ll extending inward and resiliently engaging selectively in any one of a series of recesses or grooves ll which are proclosed, the lug 32 will acumen vided at spaced intervals along the spindle 2. The grooves I! are provided at definite intervals corresponding to the widths of standard roll film. so that the part ll may be adjusted to any one of several fixed positions along the spindle l2, and the reel may thus be adjusted to accommodate a desired size of film.

Integral with thesleeve 48 is a disc 51 which is provided with a spiral rib 58 and associated groove 59 corresponding to the rib l6 and groove 1, respectively, of the lower disc.

As seen in Figs. 12 and 13, each 0! the discs is provided with an ear 60 adjacent which is a lug 8| defining therewith a peripheral gate or opening 62 through which film may be fed into or removed from the spiral groove ll. It will now be seenthat the two parts 40 and H should be fitted together in only a certain relation, in order that the gates 62 may register so that the film may be conveniently inserted and removed through both gates simultaneously. The lug fl serves as a stop or abutment to check escape of the outer end F oi the film F. The film-end engaging face of each lug may be at substantially a right angle to the end 0! the film as shown in Fig. 13. If desired, the lug may be omitted from one of the discs, as shown in Fig. 16, the other lug being relied upon to check the outer end F of the film.

Instead of arranging the lug at substantially a right angle to the outer end F of the film F, the lug may be at an acute angle as shown at la in Fig. 17, or in the form of a hook as at Nb independently of the rib 48 as shown in Fig. 18. Or. if desired, the lug could be omitted from each disc and the projection 60a formed with an oilset "b against which the outer end 0! the film is adapted to abut, as shown in Fig. 19.

The discs 44 and 81 are provided with slots I to promote rapid flow oi the liquid to the film.

The spindle 42 is provided with a neck 65 having a square or other non-circular opening 66 therein for the purpose oi receiving an agitating rod 81 having a correspondingly shaped end portion 68 adapted to engage in the opening 86. In the form shown in Fig. 2, the stirring rod may be solid, having an enlarged handle portion 8 which may be knurled as at 10.

In another form, shown in Fig. 20, the agitator rod 12 is hollow and shaped at the end portion 13 to engage in the neck 65 and may have a knurled portion 15. Extending beyond the knurled portion is a nipple 15 adapted to engage the end of a hose 11. This type of agitator may be employed for washing a film in the tank after it has been processed, the hose 11 being connected to a tap or the like. Also, a thermometer (not shown) may be inserted into the hollow rod when desired to check the temperature of the solution in the tank.

A modified reel disc construction is shown in Figs. 21 and 22, wherein the bottom suriace ll of the spiral groove ii of each reel disc 82 or of only the lower disc is circumierentially crowned as at 84 so that only the peaks 85 of said surfaces engage the upper and lower edges F" (or the lower edge) of the film F, thereby substituting a series of substantially point contacts for the line.

contact which obtains when said surfaces are fiat (Fig. 15), so as to minimize friction. Since in practice sulficient clearance between the discs is aiIorded to obviate binding of the edges of the film, it follows that because of gravity the brunt of the engagement of the film will be at the lower disc, so that if desired only the dimedge enga ing groove bottom surfaces on the 1 lower disc need be crowned.

point contacts with the outer side edge portionsv of the film F. These peaks may be located in register with 'or in any other desired relation to the floor peaks 85.

It is believed that the operation 0! the device described above will be readily apparent. The

two parts 40 and of the reel having been fitted together and adJusted to receive film of the desired size. the film will be led into the reel through the openings 62 and into the registered spiral grooves of the reel discs, the reel then'seated in the tank and the latter closed by securing the cover tothe body. This operation, of course, will v take place in the darkroom. After the cover is applied, the device may be taken into the daylight, if desired, and the developing fluid will be poured into the tank through the cup-shaped portion 20 and withdrawn by pouring it out 01' the spent 28. ,In the course 01' the development, the rod 61 or 12 will be arranged as shown in Fig. 2 and the reel rotated thereby to impart the desired amount of agitation. At the completion or the various steps of the processing, the cover may be removed and the film washed in any desired manher with or without the cover in place. A hose from the tap may be connected to the hollow stirring rod 0! Fig. 20 with the cover in place, for the washing operation.

All parts of the apparatus may be molded out of Bakelite or other suitable plastic which is immune to the reagents of photographic processing, with the exception of the resilient clip 50, and this element also may be of such metal or other substance as is inert to such materials. It thus will be seen that we have provided a device which is simple, convenient, readily adjustable, and which has many advantages over devices of this type previously known. Various modifications and changes coming within the spirit of our invention may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and, hence, we do not wish to be limited to the specific forms shown or uses mentioned.

We claim:

A developing tank having a film-holding reel rotatably disposed therein, means for rotating said reel, said means comprising a hollow rod slidablyand detachably engageable at one end with said reel and having means at the, other end for detachably anchoring a hose, said rod having knurled means thereon engageable by the operator to facilitate rotary manipulation while the so hose is anchored to said anchoring means.

FRANK M. MORGAN. STANLEY WALLACE. 

